Conducting the Narrative: An AI-Assisted Analysis of Government & Media Framing in the Coverage of the 7/7 London Bombings

Abstract

This article examines the relationship between UK government communications and national media framing in the aftermath of the July 7, 2005 (“7/7”) London bombings. It poses two research questions: (1) what were the dominant frames employed by the British government and media in their coverage of 7/7; and (2) to what extent did the frames in media publications reflect changes in the government’s framing? Drawing on both manual and AI-assisted content analysis, the project reviews a sample of four Prime Ministerial addresses and 1,393 news articles from four major UK outlets over a four-week period. The research identifies thirteen recurring frames—ten common to both government and media, and three unique to media coverage—and assesses their salience over time. The findings reveal a strong alignment between government and media narratives, particularly as the framing evolved from initial emotional appeals (e.g., resolve, atrocity, victims) to strategic and policy-driven narratives (e.g., security, homegrown extremism, immigration). Media framing closely tracked the government’s rhetorical shifts, reinforcing rather than contesting the official narrative arc. This convergence underscores the government’s discursive power in shaping public understanding and highlights the media’s role as an amplifier of state messaging during crises.